Sojne phul bhaja (Drumstick flower fry)
Bengali: Sojne
Scientific name: Sweta Maricha
Sanskrit: Shobhanjana, Sigru Saubhanjana (Carakasamhita. Haritavarga. As leafy vegetables. "The Sanskrit name employed in medical treatises in Carakasamhita, Susrutasamhita, Astangahrdayasamhita, Astangasamgraha as Sigru, sobhanjana, madhusigru, krsnagandha about more than 100 to 150 times. All collected in the journal of eJIM "The Trees Called Sigru, Moringa Sp" by Jan Meulenbeld.
Vernacular names of Sojne:
- English: Drumstick tree, Mother's Best Friend
- French: Bèn ailé
- German: behenbaum
- Italian: Sàndalo ceruleo
- Spanish: Árbol del ben
- Kenya: Mronge
- Burma : Dandalun
- Nepal: Sitachini
- Thailand: Kaanaeng-doeng
- Orissa: Soandal
- Hindi: Munga ara, Segra, Shajmah
- Gujarati: Saragavo
- Konkani: Mosing
- Malayalam: Sigru, Moringa
- Sindhi: Swanjera
"Drumstick (সজনে) Tree"
Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves incorporated into Traditional Indian Recipes
Ingredients:
- Sojne phul (Moringa flowers), 2 cups
- Brinjal diced into small cubes, 200 g
- 2 dry whole red chilies
- panch phoron (five spices for sabji) for tempering, 1 teaspoon
- Halud/Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Sugar ½ tsp
- Hot water 1 to 2 tsp
- Mustard oil 2 tbsp
Method:
- Wash the flowers thoroughly and keep on strainer to remove excess water. .
- In a frying pan heat mustard oil until it smokes, break whole chillies and add to the oil, add panch phoron spices.
- Add cubed brinjal, stir well.
- Add salt, turmeric, and sugar.
- Sprinkle some water and cover the pan with a lid and slow down the heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Check seasoning when the flowers look tender. You can add mustard paste optionally at this time and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve with Rice as a starter.
"Preparation of Drumstick (সজনে) Leaves"
Use of green leafy vegetables to eradicate underlying micronutrient deficiencies has been advocated for a long time. The leaves of the drumstick tree (Moring aoleifera) have one the highest known contents of total carotene (-40,000 µg/100 g FW) and 13-carotene (-19,000 µg/100 g FW). They are also an excellent source of a variety of other nutrients and phytochemicals (phytonutrients), which have been shown to have positive health effects.
Drumstick leaves may have an unacceptably bitter taste to some people, due to the presence of polyphenols. However, these polyphenols have also been reported to have multiple beneficial biological effects, including antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory action, inhibition of platelet aggregation, antimicrobial activities, anti-tumor activities, and are therefore a much-researched topic in recent years.
"Preparation of Drumstick Pods (সজনে ডাঁটা)"
Dehydrated drumstick leaf powder incorporated into Dhebra (shallow fried rotis or flat breads), Muthia (steamed cereal-pulse-vegetable traditional snacks of Gujarat), and dal soup (boiled lentils) and also can be used this methodology with other green leafy vegetables, such as coriander leaves, radish leaves, colocasia leaves, fenugreek leaves, spinach and amaranth, into a variety of food products.
ANOTHER article found on www.moringanews.org
Sojna/Moringa/Drumstick, a green “superfood” Its leaves are among the world’s richest vegetables. It is a plant food of high nutritional value, ecologically and economically beneficial and readily available in the countries hardest hit by the food crisis.
The leaves of Sojna were recently identified by the World Vegetable Center (Taiwan) as the vegetable with the highest nutritional value among 120 types of food species studied. Easy to cultivate and resistant to drought, this tree produces abundant leaves with a high concentration of proteins, vitamins, and minerals: 100 grams of fresh Sojna leaves provide the same amount of protein as an egg, more iron than a steak, as much Vitamin C as an orange, and as much calcium as a glass of milk.
"Sojne (Moringa) a green “superfood"
The tree Sojna/Moringa, in the Carakasamhita it refers ad Ni.2.4 to a khadayusa or upadamsa, which means this tree is a food items in the context in particular in the sense of a starter.
"Sojne Phuler Sheem Palong Paturi"
Ingredients:
- Sheem (broad beans),100g
- Sojne phul (drumstick flowers),200g
- Spinach, 100g
- Mustard oil, 2 tbsp
- Kalo jeera (onion seeds), 1/4 tbsp
- Coconut paste, 1/2 tbsp
- Mustard paste , 1 tsp
- Green chilli paste , 1 tsp
- Salt and sugar to taste
- Turmeric, one pinch
- 2 banana leaves
For gravy
Method:
- Cut the sheem into small pieces and half fry them.
- Boil the drumstick flowers and spinach, and chop well. Heat the mustard oil in a pan.
- Add kalo jeera, then the sojne flower and spinach, mix and fry well, then add the coconut paste, mustard paste, green chilli paste and turmeric.
- Add salt and sugar. Wrap this mixture with the half fried sheem, place in two banana leaves and steam in a steamer.
- Steam till done. Serve hot.
Traditional usage:
Both Sojne phul recipes are traditionally preferred dish to accompany "Gota Sheddho (whole boiled vegetables)" during Sheetal Shasthi after the day of vasant panchami "Saraswati Puja".